Illinois Ducks Unlimited Right Here, Right Now

Illinois Ducks Unlimited Right Here, Right Now Editor: Bill Sarafin LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! January 2016 In This Issue State Plan for 2015-16 2 A Word From Our Chairman Planning for our Spring banquet season is well under way. Our first Firearm Frenzy of the year is on January 22 nd in Quincy, IL. Check out our Events page for information on this and other Frenzy s we ve got planned for 2016! Speaking of Spring events, our Illinois State Convention is right around the corner. Registration is open and information is available in this Newsletter edition, our Illinois Ducks Unlimited Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/illinois-ducks- Unlimited-1412050402383132/ ), our Volunteer Convention page (http://2016.ildu.org/ ), and our Illinois DU Events page (http://www.ducks.org/illinois/events/). If you need to reserve a hotel room, please do so as soon as possible using the Group Code 0205DUC. We ve upgraded our State Volunteer web page. It has all the current information that we had on the previous Volunteer page plus a lot of new things to help you with your event. However, you cannot use your old password to access the new page. Please re-register by going to the Volunteer page at http://www.ildu.org/,click on the Resources tab, enter your name in the Username block and click on Register. You will be sent a password to log into the Volunteer portion of the page. Last, but not least, please check out the TAKE ACTION page on our Illinois DU Specialty License plates. $25 from every Illinois DU Specialty License plate goes to directly into our conservation work here in Illinois. In 2014, we put $27k in DU license plate revenue to work by adding $63k in matching funds for a total investment of over $90k towards habitat in Illinois. Thank you and see you at the 2016 State Convention! Bill Performance CYTD 4 Rescue Our Wetlands 5 2016 State Convention 6 TAKE ACTION! 15 2015 Top Chapters 16 2015 Chapter and Incentive Gun Winners 17 Upcoming Events/ 24 State Facts Help Wanted 25 IL State Contacts 26

State Plan Performance Event Attendance Sponsors New vs Lost Business Recruitment Event Efficiency Goal --> +5% (1,403) A/O Dec 31 --> +1.8% (476) Goal --> +5% (106) A/O Dec 31 --> -0.2% (-5) Goal --> Positive Growth A/O Dec 31 --> +$150k Goal --> +5% A/O Dec 31 --> +7.1% (213) Goal--> 60% D Event A/O Dec 31--> TBD I would like to take this opportunity to bring everyone up to speed on our State's progress calendar year to date in key event membership, new vs lost income, and strengthening existing event (recruitment and leadership development). Event membership is up 1,870 or 7.1% over last year. In new vs lost business, we've cancelled $69k of business but are projecting $197k in new business by the end of the calendar year. Our existing events are up by 194 volunteers; a 6.5% increase over last year.

TAKE ACTION! Recent legislation signed into law by Govenor Rauner calls for the use of a universal specialty plate with an organizational sticker that would be specific to each cause/organization. Our IL DU specialty plate (along with the other 108 existing plates) was grandfathered under the law so that the Secretary of State (SOS) would keep offering and issuing existing specialty plates for sale. The only caveat is that we must sell at least 1,000 plates per year. If we fall below 1,000 plates for 2 consecutive years, the SOS's office may pull all existing IL DU specialty plates off the road and replace them with the universal specialty plate with a DU sticker. I believe this part of the law goes into effect in 2016. According to the SOS's office, we currently have 578 IL DU specialty plates on the road. To get your DU license plate, go to http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/ and click on "Pick-A-Plate" to order your DU license plate today. New Kilbuck Creek Project sign facing I-39, just north of Rochelle, IL

Top Chapters Greatest Number of Sponsors IL0081 - Manito 86 Sponsors Net/Net Event Efficiency IL0030 - Rock River 89.0% Efficient Greatest Misc. Non Membership Dollars IL0023 - Quincy $45,501 Income Greatest Total All Events Net/Net Income IL0032 - Lake Forest Area $171,280 Income Largest First Time Event IL0251 - Salt Creek $26,436 Income Net/Net Banquet Dollars IL0133 - North Shore Chicago $59,660 Income Greatest # of Greenwings IL0004 - North East Illinois 180 Greenwings

2015 Chapter Award and Incentive Gun Winners 2015 ILLINOIS DUCKS UNLIMITED CHAPTER NAME EVENT # 10 30 GUN GROWTH INCENTIVE GUN CALL'EM IN GUN FLIGHTED AWARD 2015 CONVENTION ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE IL0001 State Committee 1 IL0001 State Committee 3 1 IL0001 State Committee 4 1 IL0002 Migratory Waterfowle 3 1 1 IL0002 Migratory Waterfowle 2 1 IL0003 Horseshoe Lake 1 1 IL0004 North East Illinois 2 1 IL0004 North East Illinois 4 1 IL0004 North East Illinois 3 IL0004 North East Illinois 5 IL0005 Fox River Valley 1 IL0007 McLean County 6 1 IL0008 Fulton County 3 IL0008 Fulton County 1 IL0009 Carlinville Area 2 IL0011 Grand Kankakee Flyway 5 1 IL0012 Macon County 1 1 1 IL0012 Macon County 3 1 IL0012 Macon County 10 1 IL0015 Jacksonville 1 1 IL0015 Jacksonville 5 1 IL0015 Jacksonville 2 1 1 IL0015 Jacksonville 9 IL0015 Jacksonville 8 IL0017 Grundy County 1 IL0018 Starved Rock 1 1 1 IL0018 Starved Rock 2 1 1 IL0019 Palos Park 1 1 IL0020 Pekin 1 1 1 1 IL0020 Pekin 2 1 1 1 IL0021 Peoria 1 1 GOLD IL0022 Pike County 1 IL0022 Pike County 3 1 IL0023 Quincy 1 1 1 1 SILVER IL0023 Quincy 4 1 1 1 IL0023 Quincy 5 1 INCENTIVE GUNS WILL BE AWARDED BY EVENT IN COORDINATION WITH YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR

2015 Chapter Award and Incentive Gun Winners 2015 ILLINOIS DUCKS UNLIMITED CHAPTER NAME EVENT # 10 30 GUN GROWTH INCENTIVE GUN CALL'EM IN GUN FLIGHTED AWARD 2015 CONVENTION ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE IL0024 Rockford 2 1 1 IL0024 Rockford 3 IL0025 Northwest Illinois 1 IL0026 Rend Lake 5 1 1 1 IL0027 Springfield 3 1 1 IL0027 Springfield 4 1 1 IL0028 Streator 2 1 IL0028 Streator 3 IL0030 Rock River 1 1 1 IL0032 Lake Forest Area 3 IL0032 Lake Forest Area 4 1 IL0033 Macomb 1 IL0033 Macomb 2 1 IL0033 Macomb 4 IL0034 Jackson County 2 1 IL0034 Jackson County 3 IL0035 Williamson County 1 1 1 BRONZE IL0038 Rock Island County 1 1 1 BRONZE IL0039 Bureau Valley 1 IL0039 Bureau Valley 2 1 IL0039 Bureau Valley 9 1 IL0039 Bureau Valley 3 IL0041 Havana Chapter Du 1 IL0042 West Suburban 1 IL0043 Carlyle Lake 1 1 IL0045 Steeleville 1 1 IL0046 Fayette County 2 IL0047 South Suburban 1 1 1 IL0047 South Suburban 4 IL0047 South Suburban 3 IL0049 Freeport 1 1 IL0051 Charles Perdew 1 1 1 IL0053 Twin Rivers 1 1 IL0053 Twin Rivers 2 1 IL0056 Massac County 1 1 INCENTIVE GUNS WILL BE AWARDED BY EVENT IN COORDINATION WITH YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR

2015 Chapter Award and Incentive Gun Winners 2015 ILLINOIS DUCKS UNLIMITED CHAPTER NAME EVENT # 10 30 GUN GROWTH INCENTIVE GUN CALL'EM IN GUN FLIGHTED AWARD 2015 CONVENTION ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE IL0057 North Central 1 1 IL0058 Tim Bell Memorial 2 1 IL0059 Shawnee 1 1 IL0060 Effingham 1 1 IL0062 Monroe County 1 1 IL0062 Monroe County 3 IL0064 Pana 1 1 1 IL0065 Collinsville 2 1 IL0066 Beardstown 1 1 1 SILVER IL0066 Beardstown 7 1 IL0066 Beardstown 3 1 1 IL0067 Green River 1 IL0068 Northwest Suburban 1 1 1 IL0068 Northwest Suburban 2 1 1 IL0069 Boone County 1 1 IL0070 McHenry Fox Flyway 1 1 1 SILVER 1 IL0071 Kewanee 2 1 IL0072 Calhoun County 1 1 1 1 IL0072 Calhoun County 2 IL0074 Chief City 6 IL0074 Chief City 1 IL0076 Montgomery County 1 1 IL0077 Chillicothe 1 1 IL0078 Naperville 1 1 1 GOLD IL0080 National Area Chap 4 1 1 IL0081 Manito 4 1 1 1 IL0081 Manito 1 1 1 IL0081 Manito 3 IL0081 Manito 2 IL0081 Manito 8 1 IL0082 Logan County 3 1 1 IL0082 Logan County 6 IL0083 Salem 1 1 IL0084 Rantoul-Middlefork 2 1 1 IL0085 Jersey County 3 1 1 IL0085 Jersey County 1 1 1 INCENTIVE GUNS WILL BE AWARDED BY EVENT IN COORDINATION WITH YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR

2015 Chapter Award and Incentive Gun Winners 2015 ILLINOIS DUCKS UNLIMITED CHAPTER NAME EVENT # 10 30 GUN GROWTH INCENTIVE GUN CALL'EM IN GUN FLIGHTED AWARD 2015 CONVENTION ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE IL0086 Coles County 2 1 1 SILVER IL0089 Taylorville 1 1 1 SILVER IL0090 Three Rivers 1 1 IL0092 Great Kaskaskia 1 1 IL0093 Geneseo 2 1 1 IL0095 Menard County 1 1 IL0096 Clinton Lake 1 1 1 1 IL0097 Hamilton 1 IL0098 Windy City 1 1 IL0098 Windy City 5 1 1 IL0100 Pioneer 1 1 IL0102 Lockport 1 1 1 SILVER IL0105 Iroquois County 6 IL0105 Iroquois County 3 1 IL0106 Sparta 2 IL0106 Sparta 2 IL0107 Chicago Downtown 2 1 IL0110 Barrington Area 2 1 1 IL0110 Barrington Area 1 1 IL0110 Barrington Area 3 IL0114 Ottawa 1 1 1 IL0115 Macon-Moweaqua 1 1 1 IL0118 Kishwaukee 1 IL0120 Herrin 4 1 IL0125 Highland 2 IL0127 Douglas County 1 1 1 IL0132 Chain-O-Lakes 2 1 1 GOLD 3 IL0132 Chain-O-Lakes 5 1 1 IL0132 Chain-O-Lakes 6 1 1 IL0132 Chain-O-Lakes 3 1 IL0132 Chain-O-Lakes 4 1 IL0133 North Shore Chicago 2 1 IL0133 North Shore Chicago 3 1 1 IL0133 North Shore Chicago 4 1 1 IL0137 Chester 2 1 IL0139 Orland Park 2 1 1 BRONZE INCENTIVE GUNS WILL BE AWARDED BY EVENT IN COORDINATION WITH YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR

2015 Chapter Award and Incentive Gun Winners 2015 ILLINOIS DUCKS UNLIMITED CHAPTER NAME EVENT # 10 30 GUN GROWTH INCENTIVE GUN CALL'EM IN GUN FLIGHTED AWARD 2015 CONVENTION ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE IL0142 Rockton Chapter 1 IL0145 Granite City 1 1 1 IL0159 North Adams 1 1 1 IL0160 Sangchris 3 1 1 BRONZE IL0160 Sangchris 5 IL0163 Highball 1 IL0166 Central Kane Co. 4 1 IL0166 Central Kane Co. 5 IL0168 River City Duckettes 1 IL0172 Meredosia 2 1 IL0172 Meredosia 3 IL0174 Marengo 1 1 1 1 IL0175 Chatham 2 1 IL0175 Chatham 5 IL0175 Chatham 10 IL0177 Lily-Cache Flyway 1 1 1 IL0178 Golden Corridor 1 1 1 1 IL0181 Tri-County 4 1 1 BRONZE IL0183 Shelbyville-Kaskaskia Rvr 2 IL0186 Washington County 1 1 IL0187 Shoal Creek 1 1 1 IL0187 Shoal Creek 6 IL0191 Quaker Backers 1 IL0191 Quaker Backers 1 IL0194 Edwardsville 1 1 1 1 SILVER IL0196 Cordova 1 1 1 SILVER IL0196 Cordova 2 1 IL0197 Litchfield 1 IL0198 Bartonville 1 1 IL0198 Bartonville 3 1 IL0200 Sesser 1 IL0201 Northern Tazewell County 6 1 1 1 IL0201 Northern Tazewell County 2 1 IL0201 Northern Tazewell County 3 1 IL0201 Northern Tazewell County 7 1 IL0201 Northern Tazewell County 8 1 INCENTIVE GUNS WILL BE AWARDED BY EVENT IN COORDINATION WITH YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR

2015 Chapter Award and Incentive Gun Winners 2015 ILLINOIS DUCKS UNLIMITED CHAPTER NAME EVENT # 10 30 GUN GROWTH INCENTIVE GUN CALL'EM IN GUN FLIGHTED AWARD 2015 CONVENTION ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE IL0203 Central IL Greenwings 5 1 IL0204 Bck-River Bottoms Du 2 1 1 1 IL0204 Bck-River Bottoms Du 3 1 IL0204 Bck-River Bottoms Du 4 IL0204 Bck-River Bottoms Du 10 1 IL0205 Lacon 1 1 IL0206 Lacon Ladies 1 IL0209 Lomax 1 1 1 1 IL0209 Lomax 3 IL0211 S.I.U. 1 IL0213 NE IL Reg Committee 1 IL0213 NE IL Reg Committee 2 IL0219 Sauk Valley 1 1 1 GOLD IL0219 Sauk Valley 2 IL0219 Sauk Valley 4 IL0220 Blackhawk 1 1 1 IL0220 Blackhawk 4 1 Farmer City-Salt Creek IL0223 Chptr. 1 1 1 SILVER IL0246 Silver Creek 1 1 IL0247 State Convention 2 IL0247 State Convention 1 IL0248 DU Leaders Southern IL 1 IL0248 DU Leaders Southern IL 2 IL0248 DU Leaders Southern IL 6 IL0249 River Country DU 1 IL0250 Pinckneyville H.S. 1 IL0251 Salt Creek 1 1 1 INCENTIVE GUNS WILL BE AWARDED BY EVENT IN COORDINATION WITH YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR 2015 Chapter Flighted Awards 2015 State Incentive Guns Gold Henry Golden Boy-Silverado Rifle 10 / 30 Gun Silver TriStar Setter O/U 20 ga Shotgun Mossberg 702 Plinkster Rifle Bronze Mossberg 702 Plinkster Rifle Growth Incentive Gun TriStar Cobra 12 ga Shotgun State Convention Incentive Gun Call 'Em In Gun TriStar Setter O/U 20 ga Shotgun ISSC Austria M22 Pistol

Did you know.? Welcome Todd Johnson, State Sponsor Chair! Bill Beckmeyer s personalized Illinois DU Specialty License Plate. Perfect! Get yours at www.cyberdriveillinois.com! Volunteer of the Year Tom Tomlinson Corporate Awards Caterpillar Reeds (L-R) Eric Schenck, Mike Sertle, and Steve Widowski hunted flooded timber while at the Big Rivers Initiative Oakwood Bottoms Experience.

Upcoming Events Quincy Waterfowler Party & Firearms Frenzy Friday, Jan 22, 2016 Horseshoe Lake Dinner Saturday, Jan 23, 2016 Beardstown Chili Night Saturday, Jan 30, 2016 Twin Rivers Dinner Saturday, Feb 06, 2016 State Convention Dinner Saturday, Feb 06, 2016 Marion County Dinner Saturday, Feb 06, 2016 White County Dinner Saturday, Feb 06, 2016 McHenry Fox Flyway Dinner Thursday, Feb 11, 2016 Southern IL. Meal/Gun Raffle Madison County Firemen's Hall Saturday, Feb 13, 2016 Southern IL. Meal/Gun Raffle DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Saturday, Feb 20, 2016 Douglas County Dinner Saturday, Feb 27, 2016 Upcoming Events Illinois Ducks Unlimited 2016 State Convention Peoria, IL February 5-6, 2016 Illinois Outdoor News Calendar of Events Outdoor News is pleased to list your event in the Outdoor News newspaper and online. Tell us the type of event (banquet, fundraiser, show, education or seminar, meeting, shoots, tournaments, etc...) and the details of the event, and we'll get it listed. http://www.outdoornews. com/illinois/submit-an- Event/ 2016 Ducks Unlimited National Convention Anchorage, AK June 1-5, 2016 Rescue Our Wetlands Banding Together for Waterfowl State Facts Based on numbers Available as of 01/01/15 Total Membership 30,267 Greenwings 1,979 Legacy Greenwings 628 Sponsor Members 2,119 Major Sponsors 384 2014 Grassroots Total $2,566,163 Total Acres Conserved 46,492 Monthly Payment Option How it Works... 1. You choose a yearly sponsorship level below. Bronze: $250 - $20.84/month Silver: $500 - $41.67/month Gold: $1,000 - $83.34/month 2. Choose whether you would like to use a credit card or have your pledge automatically drafted from a bank account. 3. DU will charge the pledge to your credit card or bank account each month (all charges are made on the 16th of each month). 4. Each year, we will send you an annual giving statement which can be used for tax purposes. 5. You may choose to automatically renew your sponsorship each year, ensuring that you will never miss an issue of Ducks Unlimited Magazine.

Just as ducks need us to help provide adequate habitat for their migration, IL DU needs chapters in the following areas. If you know anyone or have friends in these areas, please contact the state chairman or your local Regional Director. Chapter Bloomington Carlinville Danville Robinson O Fallon Olney Monmouth Galena Galesburg Waukegan Elgin Yorkville Contact Jim King jking@ducks.org Jon Sturgill jsturgill@ducks.org Brett Brown bbrown2@ducks.org Kyle Stefancin kstefancin@ducks.org We are also looking for additional volunteers for the following chapters: Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Streamwood Grundy County Barrington West Suburban Area Aurora Boone County

Illinois Ducks Unlimited Ildu.org Illinois State Chairman Bill Sarafin wjsarafin@gmail.com Illinois State Chairman (Elect) Dennis Wooten dennis_wooten@yahoo.com State Campaign Chairman Galen Johnson gjohnson7555@yahoo.com State Treasurer Scott Marcacci samarcacci@gmail.com State Secretary Mark Schore schore_mark@cat.com State Youth and Education Chairman Vicki Mandurano vmandurano@hotmail.com State Sponsor Chair Todd Johnson midlandsg@comcast.net State Webmaster Jonathan Fields jfields@jfields.com State Convention Chairman Frank Lemcke Frank.Lemcke@carefusion.com State Convention Co-Chairman Bill Hartter archmasonryinc@comcast.net State Shooting Chairman Rob Bockstruck rob.bockstruck@yahoo.com State enewsletter Editor Bill Sarafin Ducks Unlimited National Officers Senior Vice President Rex Schulz Regional Vice President Galen Johnson At-Large Member Diane Oberhelman Ducks Unlimited Staff Senior Regional Director-NW Illinois Brett Brown bbrown2@ducks.org Senior Regional Director- Central Illinois Jim King jking@ducks.org Regional Director-NE Illinois Kyle Stefancin kstefancin@ducks.org Regional Director-Southern Illinois Jon Sturgill jsturgill@ducks.org Regional Biologist-Illinois Eric Schenck eschenck@ducks.org Regional Biologist-Indiana (Leading Projects in Southern Illinois) Mike Sertle msertle@ducks.org Director of Fundraising & Volunteer Relations Troy LaRue tlarue@ducks.org Director of Development James Roberts jroberts@ducks.org